My Werewolf's Keeper
by nrlmuffins
Summary: Jacob's younger sister, Sarah, is horrified to discover her brother has joined the neighborhood cult. But is it a cult? Sarah vows to uncover her brother's secret before she loses her mind.
1. Jacob Makes Broccoli

The savory scent of chicken cooking in alfredo sauce permeates through the room, making me lightheaded in the best way possible. I pour noodles into the pot of boiling water, then pause to call over my shoulder, "Jake, can you make the broccoli?"

My brother, slouched lazily on the couch, barely hears me. "Huh?" he asks stupidly.

I roll my eyes. "Make the broccoli!" I repeat.

He makes a face that clearly expresses his desire to remain planted on the couch until forcibly removed. "Do I have to?" he moans.

"You do if you want it with your fettuccini alfredo," I reply, fully aware that I made his decision much harder. On the one hand, he loves fettuccini alfredo. On the other, it would require getting up. Groaning like an old man with a bad hip, he stands up and drags his feet towards the freezer to grab the frozen broccoli.

"Thanks," I smile.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbles. "How long do I put it in for?"

"Five minutes."

His task done, my brother slumps against the counter top and watches me stir the rest of the food. Even slouched like that, I can tell he's grown a few inches. Again. At this rate, he won't be able to fit in the house come Christmas.

"So what are you and Bella up to exactly?" I ask, amused at the dumbstruck look in Jake's eyes when I say her name.

Bella. With Jacob these days, everything seems to revolve around Bella. They work in the garage together, take secret motorcycle rides together, and hike together. In short, they do everything together.

I'm really glad they've become so close. Bella is still recovering from a really bad breakup with Forks hottie, Edward Cullen. He was moving, but didn't even try a long-distance relationship and just flat out dumped her, leaving poor Bella lying in the woods. She loved him more than I can even describe, and it crushed her. Correction, she still loves him. I don't understand how she can still love someone that heartless, but the pain of his rejection is still very fresh in her mind.

Because of this, Edward's not very high on my list of quality people at the moment. For similar reasons, Jake's not too crazy about him either. Then there's my dad, who hates all the Cullens. My dad's truly harmless, but he is so superstitious, it's not even funny. Last spring, he paid Jacob to crash Bella's prom. Who does that? Apparently, my loveable but misguided father.

Jacob doesn't like Edward mostly because he has a cute little crush on Bella. It's sweet really, but I'm afraid he's wasting his time, considering how Bella feels about Edward. I mentioned that to him once, but he just shrugged and said, "When she's ready, I'll be ready." I know he's not happy about that, though. He's got it bad for Bella Swan, and we all know it. Except Bella that is.

"We're going to see a movie with a couple of her friends," Jake frowns, obviously not thrilled that their unofficial date would include more than just the two of them.

"That's nice," I say, pretending not to notice his annoyance. "What are her friends like?"

He shrugs. "I don't know, never met them. Bella told me to bring a couple of my friends, but Quil's grounded and Embry-" he cuts off, anger and betrayal rushing into his features.

"Dad, dinner's ready!" I hastily call. Jacob's good mood returns almost instantly at the prospect of his favorite dinner, and Embry is forgotten for the moment.

For people too lazy to help me cook, my dad and Jake move like Kenyan runners as they grab their meals. I step back until the vultures are finished before making my own plate.

"What movie are you seeing?" Dad asks Jake as I sit down.

"Some zombie movie Bella wanted to see," he replies rolling his eyes. "Sometimes I really worry about that girl." Still, his eyes shine with admiration for Bella.

"Jacob and Bella sitting in a tree," I sing under my breath, but still loudly enough for him to hear, and earn myself a playful shove from my brother. He pretends to be angry, but fails epically when he starts laughing and blushes bright red.

"What?" I ask innocently, also ruining my façade by cracking up.

"You're cute, kid," Jake admits with a wink.

Jacob and I were both very young when our mom passed, and I think that's why we're so close. Rachel and Rebecca clung together after the accident, and Dad became very distant for a long time. So, naturally, Jake and I bonded. I love my dad and my sisters, but Jake and I understand each other on an emotional level even we don't quite understand. In some ways, I don't like the amount of time Jacob's been spending with Bella. But, I also sympathize with her, so I don't mind it as much as I would if it were another girl. It's selfish, but I like being the only girl in his life.

Once we're finished with dinner, Jacob finger combs his long hair and straightens his shirt before heading for the door. I can't help laughing at him again. "Now don't you kids stay out too late, mister!" I jokingly scold. "And behave yourself around those scary Forks seniors, or they might eat you!"

Jake rolls his eyes, but I can tell he's entertained. "Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine! Bye, Sarah," Jacob is already halfway into the garage, ready to start up his Rabbit. He's ridiculously proud of that hunk of mobile tin, and tonight is the maiden voyage. He can't wait to show Bella.

I feel bad that Jake will have to spend the evening sharing Bella with her other friends, and wish that his friends could have been available. The normally calm Quil is grounded because he momentarily lost his cool and tried to fight a few members of the neighborhood cult at school. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get a single punch in, because Jacob held him back. They're lucky they're not suspended.

And speaking of the neighborhood cult-

Jake and I usually avoid discussing Sam and his gang. He doesn't act like it, but I know Jacob's afraid that he could be next. We never talked about it, though, until Embry joined.

"What does he do to them?" I whispered, as though afraid Sam would overhear. We were on Jacob's bed, late the night we learned about Embry. Jake was upset, I was terrified. Worse, we could only discuss this after Dad had gone to bed. He and the other elders thought Sam was the greatest thing ever, and got very angry if we said anything against him.

"I don't know," Jacob sounded scared for the first time ever in my memory.

"Drugs?"

"I can't see Embry going along with that. He's not stupid."

"Just say no, and all that, huh?" I joked

"Yup, that's Embry," Jake smiled slightly.

"Hypnotism?" I suggested.

"Maybe."

"I just can't think of anything else, you know?" frightened tears threatened to escape.

"Yeah," Jacob took a deep breath, and I could hear his heart pulsing with anger and fear.

"Why do the elders think Sam's so great? I think we should kick him out."

"I don't know what they see in him. Maybe he got to them too?"

"Don't say that," the idea of Sam taking over the entire tribe, not just controlling a few youths made me want to scream.

We were quiet for a while, each engrossed in our own thoughts. Finally I broke the silence. "Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me you'll never join Sam, for any reason," a few of my scared tears finally made their appearance.

"I promise," Jake rubbed my arm and kissed my forehead.

"Even if he drugs you?"

"He won't. I'll just say no."

"Even if he hypnotizes you?"

"I'll pinch myself to stay awake," Jacob turned to look me in my misty eyes. "I promise, Sarah, that I will never join his stupid cult, no matter what."


	2. Missing In Action

I fall asleep before Jake gets back from his not-a-date date, but I wake up the next morning, anxious to hear about it. Unfortunately, Jacob is missing in action. Dad says he went out with some friends. That strikes me as unusual, considering his friends are either grounded or hypnotized. Also, Dad doesn't seem to know or care when Jacob will be back. My dad may not be the world's most responsible parent, but he typically has at least a general idea of what's going on with his kids. I get the feeling there's something Dad isn't telling me, but I push that thought out of my mind.

I expect Jacob to be back fairly soon, but hours later he is still not home. I don't bother to ask Dad about it again, but I can tell he's a little nervous as well. But at eleven thirty, I am too tired to wait up for Jacob anymore and I go to bed, hoping he comes home while I'm asleep. You know what they say- a watched pot won't boil. I suppose it applies to waiting for someone to come home, right?

I have a lot of trouble sleeping, seeing as part of my brain is waiting for the sound of an opening door, footsteps, anything to prove Jake is alive, well, and home. Once I finally fall soundly asleep, my alarm clock decides to be cruel and wake me up at six, even though it is Sunday. Fabulous.

Since I wasn't doing anything else, I peek into Jacob's room, hoping to see his legs dangling slightly off the edge of his bed as he snores. It's a sight I've witnessed more times than I can count (he has a bad habit of oversleeping on school mornings), but it's not one I see today. At this point, I'm thoroughly worried. What could he possibly be doing?

A few more hours of sleep still don't shake that question from my mind, and I'm on the verge of a panic attack.

"Morning, Sarah," Dad says over his toast and Sunday funnies.

"Did Jake ever come home last night?" I was through with subtleties.

Dad fidgets uncomfortably in his wheelchair for a few seconds before answering, "Yeah, he got home late. Then he left early this morning."

I know he's lying. He knows I know he's lying. For a moment, I hold Dad's guilty gaze, trying to break his resolve. When it becomes apparent that he is not planning on giving me any information regarding Jacob, I silently make my breakfast and continue to worry.

It is the longest day of my life as I try to ignore the conjecturing voices running through my head, just wishing Jacob would come home. My subconscious mind forms several theories as to my brother's continued absence. Maybe he eloped with Bella. Maybe he's driving his car around. Maybe he was abducted by aliens. Maybe he-

No. That is a theory I refuse to consider. Jacob has never broken a promise he made to me before, and I highly doubt he'd start with something this important to me. Still, the malicious voices dwell on that theory for hours. More than anything I want to see Jake safe, and prove the voices wrong.

Finally, around ten that night, the door opens and Jacob struts in as though he hasn't been AWOL for the past forty-eight hours. The first thing I notice about him is his hair, or rather lack thereof. His ponytail is gone, with a neatly cropped cut in its place. It makes him look older, or maybe it's the expression on his face. His mouth is set in a tight grimace, but he still seems to radiate this strange sense of calm. It seems vaguely familiar, but I don't think I've seen it before on him. To top it all, I swear he grew about five inches in the past two days.

"Jake! Finally!" I jump up off the couch and follow him to his room. He doesn't even acknowledge me, but I'm too relieved to care. He walks into his room, and collapses on his bed facing the ceiling, not looking at me.

"Nice hair, did you lose a bet?" I can sense under that calm Jacob is not in a good mood, so I try to ease the tension as best I can.

"No," he answers in monotone.

"Then why did you cut it?" he's always had long hair, and made it very clear he wouldn't cut it for almost any reason.

He opens his mouth, but closes it. Carefully, almost through his teeth he answers, "It got in the way."

I don't know what to make of the frustrated expression he is now wearing, so I change the subject. "So, what happened with Bella?"

I realize a second too late that I had asked a bad question. Jake closes his eyes, as though in pain and mumbles, "Fine. Her friend got sick, though, and we had to leave early."

"Oh," was all I could say. I know he doesn't want to talk about this, so I let it drop, making way for a more pressing question, "Jacob, where were you all this time?"

He sits up and finally looks at me. Then he opens his mouth to answer, and starts to speak, "I-" but he can't seem to get the words out. It's almost if some unseen force is keeping the words from escaping his throat, and he starts panting from the effort.

Jake groans and stops trying to speak, instead looking at the floor and concentrating on breathing. He runs a hand through his new short hair, and then looks back at me. "I can't tell you exactly," he says slowly. His eyes are full of a different kind of pain now, a heartbroken sadness.

"You can't or you won't?" I know something is wrong, and it's frustrating that he won't tell me.

Jake opens his mouth, then closes it and shakes his head. "Can't," he breathes.

"Then who were you with?" I demand. Anger is starting to get the best of me, and I'm afraid I may start yelling if he doesn't start answering me.

He doesn't even try to answer this time. His eyes are apologetic, but the rest of his face has resumed the mask of restraint and calm. And that's when it hits me like a frying pan in the face. I know where I've seen that look before, and it confirms my worst fear.

"Oh, no," I whisper.

"What's wrong?" Jake asks with a very good attempt at concern.

"What did he do to you?" I breathe.

"Who?" Jake tilts his head in a confused yet caring way, but his eyes betray his act.

"Jake I'm not stupid, and neither are you," I reply, struggling to keep my voice level. "What did Sam do to you?" I ask more forcibly.

Jake looks at me for a second, as though trying to decide if he should deny the obvious or not. He chooses not. "Nothing. Sam didn't do anything to me." I barely notice his emphasis on 'Sam'.

"Then why on Earth did you join his stupid gang? Why would you be so stupid? You promised!" I finally start screaming, and angry, betrayed tears threaten to pour over at any moment.

Jacob stands up, and I know for sure he grew again. All calm is gone from his face as he raises his voice too, "It was out of my control! I didn't ask for this!" Jake is literally shaking with anger as he says this, and his teeth are barred like a tiger on Animal Planet. I used to joke that Jacob was a big teddy bear- scary looking, but warm and fuzzy on the inside. But right now, he's a terrifying grisly, and I'm legitimately afraid of him.

I take a step back, and find myself pulled quickly out of the room. From all his years of relying on his arms, Dad's are powerful as he takes me out of Jake's room, and slams the door behind me.

"Don't you dare make Jacob angry!" he yells at me.

With Jake behind the door, I'm brave again. "Why? Because he belongs to Sam now? I'm sorry, I forgot everything Sam touches turns to gold! Forgive me for dishonoring his greatness!"

"I mean it, Sarah, you will not under any circumstances make Jacob upset!" Dad yells as though he hadn't heard me

"Do you even care that your son has joined a cult? Sam's evil, can't you see that? And now he's got Jacob under his spell!"

"Stop shouting! Go to your room!" Dad's voice breaks as he yells even louder.

"Fine! I'll just stay in my room forever and stay away from Sam and his minions! Or better yet, I'll move out!" I stomp over to stand in the doorway of my room.

"And where would you go?" Dad asks, both amused and hurt.

"Somewhere where Sam can't hurt me anymore. I don't know… I'll move in with Charlie and Bella!" And with that, I slam the door in my dad's face.


	3. Confessions

An annoying beeping stirs me from unconsciousness, but I lay there unmoving, not even opening my eyes. I can't remember why, but I know I don't want to face today. The only thing that is clear is that I'm cold and uncomfortable.

After some internal effort, I manage to open my eye and sit up to see what's wrong with me. At first, I'm a little freaked out and very confused to find myself lying on the floor, still completely dressed. Then it all comes flooding back.

Upon slamming the door in Dad's face, I'd slid to the floor, sobbing hysterically. I was hurt by Jacob's betrayal, angry with Sam for stealing my brother, and furious with my dad for being okay with all of this. So, I cried. My face is still tight with dried tears, and the floor is slightly damp. I must have cried longer than I'd expected.

I am tempted to crawl into bed and hide from the world under my covers, but I refuse to give Sam the satisfaction. Truthfully, I know Sam will never know I if decide to go along with my day as though nothing happened, and even if he did, I doubt he would care. But still, I get ready for school, determined not to let this evil idiot control my life anymore.

Before I leave, I peek into Jacob's room. He's awake, and looks at me as I walk in. But it's not his face I see, it's Sam's.

"So, you're not going to school today," it's meant to be a question, but in my current state, it lacks any form of inflection.

"No," he replies calmly.

"Okay. Tell Sam I said hi," again, the sarcasm is missing from my tired voice.

"I will," Jake answers. I hope he too was lacking intended inflection, and meant his reply to be a joke, but somehow I doubt it.

I turn and walk into the kitchen, finding my Dad eating his toast and reading the paper as though nothing is wrong.

"Morning, Sarah," he says kindly. I don't trust myself not to start yelling again, so I don't respond as I grab a granola bar and walk out the backdoor.

The walk to school is torture. Even during the years we went to different schools, Jacob and I always walked together, even if it meant leaving early so he could drop me off before running to his own building. Today, however, I walk alone.

Finally, I reach the school grounds. By now, I've collected myself to the point that I think I can function fairly normally, keeping in mind that I have all night to cry. Hopefully I can make it.

But then I see Quil and his ever-smiling face walking towards me. "Jacob sick?" he asks.

I fully intend to answer with a shrug and a casual yes. I figure that way, at least Quil will have a little more time before he finds out what has actually happened to Jake.

But it seems my mouth is not in agreement with this plan, because I reply, "Only mentally."

Quil looks at me, confused. "You mean he's talking a "mental health day"? Did he party that hard with Bella on Friday?" He smiles and laughs to himself.

"No he's just-" I look past Quil and notice three familiar, unwelcome people about a hundred feet away. "He's one of them," I breathe.

Quil follows my gaze to Sam's other three charges, Paul, Jared, and Embry. Each of them have the same skin tone, same haircut, and same serene expression. Even though I've known Embry for years, I don't know exactly which one he is. That prompts me to mentally compare these three with my images of Jacob last night. It scares me that I can barely discern my own brother from the mix.

Quil's jaw is set in anger and his fists are clenched. "Are you sure?" he asks.

"He was gone all weekend, and when he finally came home last night, he wouldn't tell me where he'd been or who he'd been with. But I figured it out and he admitted it." Though I am talking to Quil, my gaze never leaves that of the three.

"He actually talked to you?" Quil asks, surprised. He too is staring down Sam's posy.

"Not like he usually does." I refuse to use "did", even if it may now be more appropriate.

"What does he do to them?" Quil wonders aloud. The anger in his voice is replaced by fear. He'd done the math, and realized a terrifying truth- he is next.

"Jacob claimed Sam hadn't done anything to him," I mumble.

The warning bell rings from inside, and Sam's crew turns as one to walk inside. Quil puts his arm around me gently. "Don't worry, it'll be fine," he says, trying to convince me, as well as himself. He doesn't succeed. Before going inside, he rubs my arm and kisses my forehead. "I promise," he breathes.

Yeah, so did Jake.

For a moment, I just stand there. Quil is my cousin, but we've always been closer than that. He's like a brother to me. Then again, so was Embry. Would Sam be cruel enough to take Quil from me too? I don't doubt it.

Because of all my stalling, I'm about a minute late to English. My teacher doesn't write me up, thanks to my usual perfect attendance. But, I still have to apologize several times as she gives me a quick lecture. To be honest, I barely hear her.

About a minute and a half after I take my seat, a note is tossed on my desk. I quickly cover it with my hand, and subtly open and read it.

Are you okay? You look upset.

I immediately recognize the handwriting and sure enough, when I look up I see Seth Clearwater's concerned face turned around slightly to face me from his seat diagonally in front of me.

Seth and I go way back. We were in the same kindergarten class, and he spilled his milk carton all over himself on the first day. Being five, he started crying. I was sitting next to him and said, "It's okay! Haven't you ever heard not to cry over spilled milk?"

At some point in his five years he must have, because his tears turned abruptly to laughter. Soon, the whole class was laughing, even those who'd never heard the expression. I know it sounds silly, but ten years later, we're still best friends.

I appreciate his concern, but I'd already told one more person than I'd meant to about the Jacob issue, and I'm not going to have this conversation again. Especially not in English class. So, I quickly put on a smile and a slightly confused expression, as though to say, "What do you mean? I've never been better!"

Knowing me so well, Seth doesn't buy it, but he doesn't bother me for the rest of the period. But once the bell rings for homeroom period (which we have after first period. That's never made sense to me, but hey, I just work here.) Seth spins around and demands, "Seriously, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" I hastily put on a fake smile. Seth regards me for a minute, biting his lip, deep in thought.

"If you don't want to tell me, I understand," he finally says, his face full of concern and compassion. "But you know you can talk to me if you do."

A real smile replaces the fake one as I reply, "Thanks, Seth. That means a lot."


	4. Eavesdropping

I walk home, mentally exhausted. This has been the longest day of my life. Trying to avoid thinking about Jacob, I'd thrown myself into every class, taking detailed notes, answering and asking questions, and anything else to keep my focus solely on class.

I take the long way home, hoping that a different route will keep me from thinking about Jacob. It seems to work a little, and by the time I get home, Jake is towards the back of my mind. That changes as soon as I walk inside. In my living room I find the Dream Team themselves, Sam and company.

For a moment, my only reaction is to locate Jake in the group. It's more difficult than it should be, but I tell myself it's because I'm not used to the hair. Either way, I'm momentarily relieved when the one I'd decided was Jake speaks in my brother's voice.

"Sarah, this is Jared, Paul, Sam, and well, you know Embry." A very small part of me is encouraged when Jacob makes an attempt to treat me like he normally would. But most of me is focused on the third name he gives me.

Sam. My eyes meet his and refuse to look away. I don't think I knew the true definition of hatred until I look at Sam. I hate this man with every fiber of my being, and every inch of my soul. This man has stolen my brother, my friend, and brainwashed the council. I really want to kill him. It scares me how violent I suddenly feel. I'm normally a firm pacifist, but for Sam, I'm willing to make an exception.

"It's nice to meet you, Sarah," the devil replies. His voice is pleasant and conversational. I hate how comfortable he is talking to me.

"Pleasure," I reply, my voice surprisingly even. I know that if stay here much longer, I'll hurt Sam, or say something I may regret, so with a final glance at Jacob, I stomp towards my room.

When I reach my room, I throw my backpack inside and slam the door shut, but I myself remain in the hallway. I'd made the split second decision to eavesdrop in the hallway. My heart is pounding, but the rest of me is silent as I listen to their conversation.

"Wow. I've never seen anyone so angry! Well, except maybe Paul," I don't recognize the voice, so I assume it's Jared.

Laughter follows this observation, and Paul replies with a sarcastic, "Thanks, guys."

Once the laughter stops, Embry says, "Stop moping, Jake, she'll can't stay mad at you forever.

Wanna bet, Embry? But one thing catches me a little off guard. Jacob is upset?

"You're right, but she isn't just mad," Jake actually does sound depressed, which makes me listen more carefully.

"What do you mean?" Paul, I think.

"Well, she's also scared and betrayed. Look, the night we heard Embry joined, she slept in my bed she was so afraid."

"Of what?" Sam asks. My fists clench and I bite my tongue.

"You. And that I'd join you, too. We spent hours trying to figure out what you did to Embry, and finally she just made me promise that I would never join under any circumstances." Jacob sighed. "And I broke that promise."

"Jake you didn't have any control over any of this, so don't feel bad," Jared says.

"But she doesn't know that, so she's mad at me, and literally wants to kill Sam." Oh, he knows me so well.

Again, everyone laughs, which about sends me over the edge. "I'm not too worried, Jake, but thanks for the warning," Sam replies, still chuckling.

"Sam, can I please tell her?" Jacob asks, in a tone usually reserved for those begging for mercy.

"No, Jake, I'm sorry." Sam does seem genuinely sorry, but I don't care.

"But she thinks I joined a freakin' cult!" Jake says much more forcibly.

"Jacob, calm down," Sam says slowly. I hear Jake take a deep breath, and I imagine him closing his eyes as he does so.

"Sorry," he mumbles.

"No, that was good," Sam encourages. "Better than Paul was," he jokes, which leads to another round of laughter and annoyed protests from Paul.

"Sam, seriously, I don't want her thinking-"

Sam cuts Jacob off this time, "Jacob, honestly, it's safer for her to think you've joined a cult than to know the truth. She could get hurt."

"But she hates me!"

"She's your sister, and she loves you. She'll get over it, I promise," Sam says with a ring of finality. "And once you get better with this, you can reestablish a relationship."

"I understand why I can't talk to Bella anymore," Jacob says, still arguing with Sam. "I agree with you there. But I can't lose my sister. Plus, I how am I supposed to keep secrets in my own house?"

"My mom doesn't know, and it's not that bad," Embry supplies. "I mean, I'm eternally grounded for always sneaking out, but it's not that bad."

"Jacob, I know this is hard for you, but I promise it will get easier," Sam says reassuringly. There's a pause where none of them say anything.

"Fine," Jake says with a hint of attitude. "I guess I'll end up doing what you want whether I like it or not, huh?"

The awkward silence following Jake's grim surrender is broken by the phone ringing. I hear Jake get up to answer it, so I silently open my door and go inside.

"Sarah?" Jake calls. I walk back out of my room and into the kitchen. There I find Jacob holding the phone. I try to maintain the angry expression I'd had last time we spoke, so he won't suspect I overheard them. But I slip when I see his face. His eye are full of an intensified version of that heartbroken sadness I saw last night as he looks at me.

He holds the phone out to me. When I take it, my hand brushes his and I quickly put the phone in my other hand and grab his. It's really hot, as though he just stuck it in a pot of boiling water. Without thinking, I touch his face, too. It's just as hot.

"Jake are you sick? You're burning up!" I gasp.

He pushes my hand away and mumbles, "No," then walks away. For a second I just watch him, but then remembering the reason I was called out here, I answer the phone, "Hello?"

"Hey, Sarah!"

I can't help smiling a little. "Hey, Seth."

"Is Jacob okay? He sounds a little down." I glance over at my brother. He and the rest of them are watching me intently. I'm suddenly very self-conscious.

"He's- he's-" I don't want to lie and say he's fine, but I don't want to tell Seth what is going on. Not with the problem staring at me as I speak.

"How are you, Seth?"

Thankfully, he doesn't respond to the subject change. "Funny, I was just calling to ask you the same question," he laughs. "Are you feeling any better?"

I really appreciate his concern, but there is no way I'm going to tell him about Jacob with him right there. "Not really," I admit. "Seth? Mind if I call you later? Then we can talk."

"Sure. Plus that gives me an excuse to take a break from that angry grapes book we're reading in English."

"The Grapes of Wrath is not about angry grapes, silly. It's about the Great Depression." I smile a little wider.

"Who writes about the Great Depression? That's so depressing."

"I agree. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay. You know you can tell me anything."

My stomach drops when he says that, because a few days ago, Jacob could tell me anything, too.


	5. One Sided Charades

It's about nine thirty, and I'm lying in bed, staring at the ceiling when there's a knock on my door.

"Come in," I call. I still haven't made up with my dad, so maybe it's him. I hope so, because he really does deserve an apology. I'm not mad at him anymore, or Jacob. I'm just confused. After spending hours contemplating the conversation I heard, the only thing I know for sure is that there is so much I don't know about these boys.

Jake himself walks in and interrupts my pondering. "Hey, Sarah," he smiles. But it's not entirely his own smile. There's too much sadness in his eyes, and anger on his the edge of his lips. He looks like he's in pain, and I don't like it.

"Hi, Jake," I sit up.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?"

"No. I was never really mad at you, exactly. I was mad at Sam," I confess.

"Was? So you're not still mad at him?" Jake asks, confused.

"Well," I decide to be honest with him. He is my brother, after all, even if he is keeping secrets. "I don't really know what to think anymore."

"What do you mean?" I notice he is keeping a fair distance from me. Normally, he's be sitting beside me by now.

"Well, I kind of overheard you guys talking earlier," I say in a small voice.

Jake smiles that new smile again. "Huh, that makes my job easier. What did you hear?"

"Nothing that made much sense to me, to be honest. Care to explain anything?"

Jake frowns, and takes a deep breath before answering, "I can't."

"Yeah, I heard," I say, slightly embarrassed. Looking back, it seems childish to listen to them like I did.

Jacob sighs and looks out my window. "I'm sorry. I want to tell you-"

"Heard that, too. Thanks." Jake looks at me, and some of the sadness in his eyes leaves.

"I really wish I could, but I can't. I physically cannot," there is a definite note of bitterness in his voice now.

"What if I ask questions? Can you answer them?"

"Not necessarily," Jacob growls. There is some serious bitterness there now.

"Well, maybe you can at least clear a few things up for me. I'm really confused," I say desperately.

"I'll try," Jacob promises.

"Well, it's not a cult."

Jake actually smiles a little. "Nope, not a cult."

"But someone or something has brought you guys together, and you had no control over it. That wasn't Sam's fault, but he is physically preventing you from telling anyone about it." I look at Jake for signs that I'm right. He looks like he's in physical pain again.

"That's what I mean. You can't talk about it at all, can you?" With great effort he manages one slow, deliberate nod. "But am I on the right track?" This time the only reaction I get is a twitch of his mouth and a determined stare.

Despite Jacob's current state, I'm encouraged. "And there's something almost unnatural about you guys," I continue. "You're huge, you have to take Sam's orders, and your body temperature is sky high." Jake's eyes are wide, and I know I'm getting close. "Well? Can I have a hint maybe?"

"Let me see," Jake replies. After a minute he says, "What was it you called us?" I know he remembers, but he just can't repeat it.

"Um, unnatural?" Jake nods again.

"Go on," he prompts.

"What do you mean?" He can't answer, so I try to help. "Um, aliens?" This time he doesn't answer, not because he can't, but because he thinks I'm being ridiculous. "You said unnatural!" I add defensively.

"A little more natural than that," he rolls his eyes.

"Like unnatural as in science fiction?" I ask. Jake nods quickly. "Like Spiderman? Did you guys fall into a toxic waste pit?"

"Sarah," he moans, thinking that I'm not taking this seriously.

"Okay, fine! Then how did you get so unnatural?" I demand. Of course, he can't answer, though. "Alright, but the only unnatural things coming to mind are like Bigfoot, werewolves, and vampires, so-" I stop because Jacob's eyes are so wide, I half expect them to pop out of the socket.

"What? You're Bigfoot?" I joke. He shakes his head, but continues to stare at me. "Jake this is stupid! None of this is real!" I'm getting really frustrated.

"Maybe, maybe not," he says through his teeth. "You're a member of the-" his voice stops mid-sentence.

"A member of the what?" I ask. He just looks at me, so I try to think of what I'm a member of. "School clubs?" He shakes his head. "The tribe?" Again, his eyes go wide.

"Think," he begs. "You know this!"

"So, because I'm a member of the tribe, I should believe that you're Bigfoot?"

"Where do we come-" he's stopped again.

"Come from?" I guess. He nods. "According to legend? Wolves, but that's just legend."

Jacob is staring at me, silently begging me to put it all together. After a second, I do. But that's utterly ridiculous, and I tell him so.

"Jake, that's utterly ridiculous!" But it all seems to be fitting together. It would explain Dad's hatred of the Cullens. It explains why all of these boys grew so fast, and are all young and in their prime. It also explains why Jacob physically cannot tell me this, just because Sam said so.

Ridiculous, yes. Making sense, sort of.

Jake watches me carefully as I slowly start processing what he's trying to tell me. As I start to acknowledge the truth, he starts to look more and more relieved. Finally, I have to just ask, crazy or not. "Jacob? Are you a werewolf?"

Instantly, Jacob's pained expression slides away, and his body relaxes as though bonds have been released and weights removed. He smiles a genuine, Jacob Black smile and replies, "I knew you were smart."


	6. Explainations

"Right." It's getting late, but Jake is still sitting next to me, explaining everything he now knows about being a werewolf, starting with why he can now speak freely about it.

"My orders were to not betray the secret. Now that you know, I can talk about it with you," he explains.

Something still confuses me a little. "Yeah, well 'orders' still implies the ability to disobey. It didn't seem like you could."  
>Jake looks a little uncomfortable, but he still answers, "No, I couldn't."<p>

"Why not."

He takes a minute to think about this. "It's sort of a wolf thing. If the Alpha gives you a direct order while in wolf form, you have to obey, it's not even a question."

"You can talk while in wolf form?" I ask in awe.

"Sort of. It's more like gaining access to everyone's thoughts. There are no secrets in the pack."

"So if the Alpha gives you an order, you have to follow it?" I surmise.

"Pretty much."

"And who's the Alpha?" Jacob just looks at me like I'm an idiot. "Okay, why is Sam the Alpha?" I ask.

"Because he was the first one to phase." Jake answers simply.

"Phase?"

"Become a werewolf," he translates.

"Why was he first? Wait, what triggers the transformation?"

"You really didn't pay attention to the legends, did you?" Jake rolls his eyes.

"Of course I did," I reply defensively. "I just am having trouble remembering that they're real!"

"Yet you're discussing the inner workings of a werewolf pack with your freaky Bigfoot brother." He grins in a superior way only brothers can pull off.

"Touché. Okay let me think." I run all the legends I'd taken for myth through my head. "The cold ones?" Jake nods. "So Sam phased first because he was the only one old enough when the cold ones arrived."

"By 'cold ones' are we talking about the Cullens?" I whisper.

"Yes," Jake groans.

"But they left. Why are you all wolfed up?"

"Because they attracted friends," he growls. "There's a redhead female running around the woods," he adds grimly.

I swallow. "Really?" my voice shakes.

"You've heard about those bear attacks?" Jacob asks.

"Yeah," I say slowly.

"It's not the bears that get the hikers," his voice is drenched in anger and revulsion. "Actually, there aren't any bears at all. It's the pack trying to stop the bloodsucker."

"But you guys can stop her, right?"

Jake is quiet for a minute. "We're trying. It's hard because we don't know what she wants, and she isn't following any type of pattern." I can hear the frustration in his voice.

"Have you seen her yet?" my voice shakes again, this time with fear for my brother.

"Only in their thoughts. I've only been out on patrol twice," I really hope I'm imagining the disappointment in his voice. I don't like the idea of him out there with a bloodthirsty vampire. No pun intended.

I need to change the subject, so I ask, "Where were you all weekend?"

"Crash course in werewolf," he grins. "It didn't take me nearly as long as the others actually." I roll my eyes at his cockiness.

"Then why didn't you go to school today?" I demand.

"I'm still working on my temper, but I'm doing pretty well- way better than Paul is doing now, even!" he chuckles a little.

"Why do you need to work on your temper?" I ask.

"Anger triggers phasing, and if you get really mad, you can't control yourself. The newer you are, the harder it is, but I'm getting better. Either way, Sam doesn't want me around people until I'm a little better."

"Why?"

"For one thing, I'd blow the secret. For another, I could hurt someone." He looks at me and says, "That's why Sam wants me to distance myself from you. He's afraid I'll hurt you." The anger and sadness is back on his face.

"But you won't," I encourage him. "I never make you mad. Well, not usually, and with that kind of motivation, I promise not to." Jake nods but doesn't answer verbally.

"Is Sam going to be mad?" I don't want to cause Jacob any trouble from his pack, and I really don't want to cause myself any trouble from that pack.

"Not at you," he answers immediately. "And I technically didn't do anything wrong," he still sounds doubtful. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow. I'm supposed to run with him tomorrow morning while the other guys are at school," he has the air of someone suddenly not looking forward to what would have normally been a treat.

Not wanting him to be upset for a number of reasons, I change the subject yet again. "Did Bella know her boyfriend was a vampire?"

I realize immediately I made a huge mistake. Anger pulses through Jacob's face and his breathing becomes heavier. Terrified, I close my eye and pray he'll calm down. After a minute, I can tell Jake has successfully regained control of himself, so I open my eyes. I find his looking straight into mine, still full of anger and betrayal.

"Yes," he breathes.


	7. Chief Sam

The school day goes much quicker today, entirely due to the fact that I am not fighting tears because my brother has joined a cult. Instead, I find myself on a strange high, trying to remember as much as I can about our legends and deciding what else could be true. The idea of Jacob being in a cult had repulsed me, but I actually think it's amazing that he is a werewolf.

I arrive home much quicker than usual, which isn't surprising considering I walk faster when I'm thinking deeply. However, my train of thought completely breaks off as soon as I walk through the door. Sitting at my kitchen table is a familiar, yet still fairly unwelcome werewolf friend of Jake's.

Maybe I'd prefer Jacob to be a werewolf over a member of a cult, but I am even more afraid of Sam now that I know he's a werewolf and not a cult leader. Go figure. Both he and Jake look up as I enter, each wearing an identical stony calm expression. Well, almost identical. Sam's calm is also laced with the authority I now know he possesses.

"Hello," I try to speak cheerfully, but I can't help being cautious of the Alpha wolf a few feet in front of me. I can't help feeling like an unwelcome guest who has no business crashing this werewolf party. I hope that Sam isn't angry, because his face leaves no hints.

"Hello, Sarah," Sam grins politely, with no sign of the aggression I'm prepared for. "Why don't you sit down?"

I'm not sure how I feel about being asked to sit down in my own house, but I comply. I immediately wish I hadn't, though, because from my seat Sam is even closer, and seems larger. At least while I was standing, I was taller.

"So, I heard you're now in on our little secret," he states, cutting right to the chase.

"Yeah, I figured it out," I reply lamely. He already knows all this, obviously, and we both know I'm just humoring the Big Bad Wolf. He nods in acknowledgment to my response. I keep my eyes on his, no matter how nervous I am. This is strictly between Sam and me, so I try to pretend Jacob isn't there. Still, Jake is the reason I haven't ran out yet, and I'm very glad he's here.

"I think I owe you an apology, Sarah," Sam says matter-of-factly. I feel my eyes widen in surprise.

"If I had it my way, none of us would be werewolves," Sam starts, a flash of bitterness crossing his face. "But we are, and so we have to fulfill the obligation we were born with. Part of that is protecting the tribe." He frowns as he continues, "To do that, I thought keeping the general membership as uninformed as possible would be safest. Let them make their own assumptions, you know? Anything but the truth.

"So, that's why I didn't let Jacob tell you. I thought that if you were upset with him, you would distance yourselves _slightly_, and because of that you two would have _a little_ less interaction. I hoped that would keep you safe." I notice he is taking care not to offend me, as though I'm the werewolf he's afraid to anger.

"Jake's a natural at this, I have to admit," Sam glances proudly towards his newest recruit. "But he's still new, and it's hardest to control yourself then. I didn't want to put you at risk. Jacob said you two have only ever fought because of me, and if that's true, then I think you'll be safe from now on." He smiles sheepishly.

I don't see why I thought Sam was a cult leader, he's too compassionate. I'm not entirely sure what to say to all that. I wish he would have let Jake tell me, without us having to play a one-sided game of charades, but Sam had good intentions.

"Thanks," I reply, and I mean it.

Again, he nods. "Next order of business," he switches tracks efficiently. I can certainly see why he makes a good leader. "I need your word that you will not, under any circumstances, ever reveal our secret. Maybe you deserve to know, but I still don't want the whole tribe knowing."

"I understand," I assure him.

But he continues, "That includes even your closest friends. You're close to Seth Clearwater?" I notice a flash of pain in his eyes. Clearwater. I suddenly remember a few years ago, Sam dumping his longtime girlfriend, Seth's sister, Leah, for her cousin. I wonder if that has anything to do with being a werewolf, but I don't see how. Either way, I can tell Sam feels bad about it. Good, because Leah was a complete mess. Still is actually.

"Yeah."

"You can't even tell him," Sam orders sternly.

"If he asks, I'm not going to lie, but I won't tell the whole truth either," I promise. "I'll just tell him that Jacob joined up, but it's not a cult and you guys aren't doing anything bad." I actually told Seth exactly that in English this morning.

Sam nods. "Same goes for anyone else. I don't really have any way to prevent you from saying anything except trust. I hope I can trust you," Again, I get a stern look.

"I promise, Chief!" I say with a salute.

Sam is thrown for a second. "Chief?"

"Well I was thinking about it today, and if you're the Alpha wolf, doesn't that make you the leader of the whole tribe as well?"

"I haven't really thought about it," he admits.

"Well, it explains why the council loves you. You're one of them. Heck, you head them!" I add.

Sam regards me for a moment, a confused yet flattered grin on his face. "Kissing up to the Chief I see," he observes.

"Yes, because it's a completely stupid idea to kiss up to the werewolf who could potentially eat me," I say sarcastically.

Sam's face freezes, and I realize I said something wrong. Jacob is watching Sam carefully, as though to make sure he is okay. I get the vibe that joking about wolf attacks is not appropriate.

"Sorry," I whisper.

Sam gives an almost unnoticeable nod, then acts as though I hadn't said anything offensive. "One more thing. If you're going to be a part of this, there's something you should see."

"What?" I ask cautiously.

"A werewolf," Sam answers as he stands up. Jacob stands with him, so I follow suit.

"But I'm looking at two, aren't I?" I try.

Sam gives me a look that says, "You know what I mean." I do, actually, and my heart and breathing rate skyrocket. Whether or not Sam notices this is up to debate, but he doesn't react to me as he walks outside. I don't realize that I'm frozen to the spot until I feel Jacob's heating pad of a hand on my back, pushing me gently but firmly towards the door.

Sam is already headed for the forest by time Jake pushes me out of the door. Strange as it is, I'm perfectly comfortable with these guys being werewolves. I do not, however, want to see one of them in wolf form. I start wondering if Sam wants to scare me a little in order to ensure my silence.

The werewolves themselves, having much longer legs and walking with a more determined purpose are a good twenty feet ahead of me. I myself am walking slower and slower, hoping to maybe slip away when they aren't paying attention. Unfortunately, Jake predicts my escape plan, and walks back towards me. Wordlessly, he takes my arm in his hand and pulls me along with him. His grip is firm, but doesn't hurt. He's gentle, but I still have the sense that he's much stronger than I could ever hope to be, and I my chances of running are now slim to none, if that.

Once we're deep enough into the forest, Sam stops a turns around to face Jacob and me. We're about ten feet away from Sam when Jake stops us too. Sam looks at me and says, "Don't worry, Sarah, you're completely safe. Just don't walk forward, and stay calm."

I nod. There is less than no chance of me doing the former, and I can probably at least fake his second request.

Sam tosses Jake a piece of denim fabric, which he catches without even looking up. Then, Sam takes his shirt off, exposing a fairly distracting set of abs, and throws it a few feet away from him.

"Are you sure?" I hear Jake ask, the first thing he's said this entire time.

Sam shrugs. "She needs the full effect. Plus these shorts are old anyway," he adds simply. Turning to me, he asks, "Ready?"

I nod, completely lying.

Sam's breathing picks up, and he starts shaking from head to toe. A second later, black fur explodes from him and his body shoots up and out, as his arms become enormous front paws and his legs even larger hind legs. And then it stops, and a giant, fierce monster is right in front of me.

Subconsciously, I take a step back. Instantly, Jacob has a hand on each of my arms and stands behind me preventing me from running. Meanwhile, my eyes never leave those of the beast. I can completely understand why hikers have been mistaking them for bears. Sam's wolf seems way too big to be a wolf, but if you get a close enough look, willingly or unwillingly, it's obvious what they are. But my guess is that most hikers would start running the moment they saw what I'm currently looking at.

Sam circles Jake and I slowly, keeping his eyes on me. He stops with his face inches from my own. From this angle, I have to admit that he doesn't look nearly as fearsome. Actually, more cute and cuddly.

Full of newfound courage, I smile. "Hey, Chief. Looking good."

Sam snorts and smiles, exposing a jaw full of pointed fangs. I'm suddenly nervous again. Then he turns around and walks back to the spot he started in and looks meaningfully at Jacob.

"Close your eyes," he translates.

"Why?" I ask carefully. I don't want to be blind with a giant canine a few feet away.

"Because Sam needs to phase back," Jake answers as though it's obvious.

"But why do I have to close my eyes for that?" I question.

"Because," Jake answers, exasperated. "When you phase, your clothes don't phase with you. Anything you don't want ripped to shreds needs to be removed first."

"Oh," that explains why Sam wore old shorts to "give me the full effect." I realize the denim in Jake's hand must be an extra pair of shorts. "Okay, sure." I close my eyes.

A few seconds later, I feel Jake toss something in Sam's direction. A strange thought occurs to me. "So you guys are naked around each other a lot?"

"Yeah, but at least it's all guys," Jake answers matter-of-factly.

"Still, that must be a little awkward."

"Sufficiently."

"You can open your eyes now," Sam tells me. I do, and catch a quick glance at his abs as he straightens his shirt. Jake finally releases me as Sam makes his way towards us. "So, you won't be telling anyone how you spent your afternoon?" he gives me an authoritative look, as though daring me to disobey.

In response, I salute, and the Alpha grins.


	8. Attack of the Werewolves

The next day, I walk home from school alone. Again. Jake is allowed to go back to school tomorrow, but he'll be walking with the pack. Maybe I should call Seth and see if I can walk by his place on my way to school. I'm starting to get a little lonely.

Just as I'm contemplating this I enter my house to find my living room once again packed with teenage werewolves. For a few seconds there is a slightly awkward pause where we all just stare at each other.

"Hi guys," I say, breaking the silence with a small wave. A second later, I'm attacked by a wolf. Okay, we don't joke about that. Still, I find myself getting crushed in Embry's burning arms before I even see him get off the couch.

"I'm so glad you know, Sarah, I missed you!" he says into my hair. I laugh as he twirls me around. Finally he puts me down.

"I missed you too, Embry," I say.

"Of course you did! How could you not miss all of this?" Same old Embry.

Another member of the pack drifts over. "I'm Jared," I recognize his voice from my eavesdropping the other day. I also vaguely recognize him from before all this. He's a grade above Jake and Embry. Jared holds his hand out for me to shake, but pulls me in for another scorching hug once I take his hand.

"Which would make me Paul," Paul says from behind me. I recognize him for the same reason. He doesn't bother offering me his hand, but goes straight in for the hug.

Smiling widely, and now warm enough to take off my jacket from all the heat exposure, I find Jacob's grinning face inches from mine. He kisses my forehead. "Welcome to the pack, little sister!"

I catch Sam's eye. He's the only one who hasn't officially greeted me, but I can tell from his sincere smile that he is glad that I have such a positive effect on his pack. I salute, and smiling, he returns the gesture.


	9. For Further Reading

Thank you so much for reading! If you liked "My Werewolf's Keeper" you might also like its sequels "Enchanted", "Breaking Ties", and "Breaking Hearts"

Please check them out!


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